電子競技中的藥物濫用：對益智藥及其檢測方法的綜述

Doping in Esports: A review of nootropics and analytical methods for their detection

緒論：在電子競技比賽中，透過施用認知增強劑(益智藥)進行作弊的問題變得日益重要，這是因為對於電子競技投資有倍數性的增長及為獲勝者提供豐厚的獎金。鑑於長時間玩電玩遊戲後，由於注意力下降而導致的反應時間增加，以及金錢上的誘因及其他因素，如渴求獲得優異表現、名聲和電子競技組織之間不協調的運動禁藥管制措施，導致一些選手試圖使用禁用物質來超越對手。為了研究這一項主題，我們搜集並分類了相關資訊進行系統性搜尋，主要包括益智藥及其藥理活性，以及分析檢測益智藥的方法，特別聚焦在液相層析串聯質譜的技術上。方法：我們對五個平台上的文獻進行了文獻回顧和內容分析，包括Google Scholar、PubMed、Science Open、Semantic Scholar和DOAJ，並通過手動搜索與Esports中的運動禁藥、益智藥的藥理作用以及應用LC/MS/MS檢測益智藥的相關文章。經過整合和仔細審查，在最初確定的385篇研究中，有52篇符合我們的納入標準。結果：研究結果發現，電子競技中運動禁藥管制的工作面臨諸多挑戰，原因出在於各個電子競技聯盟之間各自為政，皆會舉辦自己的電子競技聯賽，並爭奪電競賽事的主導地位，這與傳統體育運動的集中管理有著鮮明的對比。除此之外，在研究結果中發現，在電子競技賽事中，除了各個電競聯盟明確禁用的益智藥清單之外，仍存在其他可能增強選手認知能力的益智藥，然而這些藥物目前尚未受到明確的管制。大多數的研究都採用了高效液相層析串聯質譜法來檢測和定量特定的益智藥及其代謝物。各類樣品純化技術，如：固相萃取法，被用以減少基質干擾。眾所周知，分析管柱中的主要成分可能會干擾分析物相關的離子訊號，導致所需離子訊號的抑制或增強。結論：益智藥的濫用不僅僅只是違反了電子競技賽事的公正性，同時也對選手的健康構成重大風險，有可能產生不良反應，在某些情況下甚至有致死性。為了保護選手的健康並確保電子競技賽事的公平性，運動禁藥管制機構應該考慮擴大其運動禁藥管制的範圍，將本研究中提出的其他益智藥納入其中。

Introduction: The cheating by using cognitive enhancer drugs (nootropics) in Esports competitions has become increasingly crucial due to the exponential rise in Esports investments and the substantial prizes awarded to winners. Looking at the increase in reaction time due to a loss of focus after extended periods of playing video games, the financial incentives and other factors such as the desire to achieve high performance, fame, and uncoordinated anti-doping measures among Esports organizations have led some players to attempt to use prohibited substances to outperform their opponents. To study this subject, we collected and categorized information into two main area: a review of nootropics and their pharmacological activities, and an analysis of the methods used to detect nootropics, particularly focusing on liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Methods: We conducted a literature review and content analysis on both quantitative and qualitative surveys of articles across five platforms, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Open, Semantic Scholar, and DOAJ, and through manual searches for articles related to doping in Esports, pharmacological effects of nootropics, and the use of LC/MS/MS in the detection of nootropics. Combined and scrutinized, out of 385 studies initially identified, 52 met our criteria for inclusion. Results: Based on our findings, anti-doping efforts in Esports encounter challenges due to fragmentation among various federations, each organizing its own Esports leagues and vying for dominance, in contrast to traditional sports, which typically have centralized governance. Furthermore, our findings indicate that besides the list of nootropics prohibited in Esports competitions by various federations, there are additional nootropics that could potentially enhance cognitive performance in Esports players yet remain unregulated. Most reviewed studies employed high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry to detect and quantify specific nootropics and their metabolites. Various sample purification techniques, such as solid-phase extraction, were utilized to reduce matrix interference. It is generally known that the presence of predominant components co-eluting in the column may interfere with the signal of the analyte of interest, leading to either suppression or enhancement of the desired ion signals. Conclusion: The misuse of nootropics not only violates the integrity of Esports competition but also poses significant risks to players’health, potentially leading to adverse effects and, in some cases, fatality. To protect players' health and ensure fairness in Esports competitions, anti-doping authorities should consider expanding their anti-doping scope to include the additional nootropics proposed in our study.